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Douglas Arthur Buono Ranger Extraordinaire

Douglas Arthur Buono

Meet Douglas Arthur Buono, or Doug as his friends call him. Doug was brought to our attention several weeks ago by several people that became suspicious of him after seeing him wearing multiple tabs and badges. He walked around like he was Superman, said one person in an email. When we received the pictures of Mr.Buono, we to were in awe, I mean he looks all legit right? Yea same thing we thought!

Well after doing some digging we found out Mr. Buono did serve in the Military, just not in the capacity he was parading around in. We received a copy of a DD214, but we all know those can leave out things sometimes, so we requested Mr. Buono’s records. While we waited on the research on the records to be completed, we continued to look around at Mr. Buono.

First, he actually showed up at Fort Benning, Ga wearing all these unauthorized tabs and badges. To include rank in which he did not earn. He is very lucky he was not approached by a real Ranger, that could have turned out pretty ugly! Thing is several Soldiers at Fort Benning thought he looked out of place, and actually contacted us. When we showed them the pictures, they verified it was the same guy. And we told them we already have him and looking into it.

Let’s see, he is wearing the following on his ACU’s, although he forgets to add a badge sometimes; Special Forces Tab, Ranger Tab, USASOC Patch, Drill Sergeant Badge, Air Assault Badge, Master Parachutists Badge, and in some of his pictures he even sports a Master Halo Badge. Well if someone seen this dude and didn’t know any better, they would think he is one super bad ass!

So now on to what he is authorized to wear according to his military records…and surprise…NONE OF THE ABOVE! According to his records, he was discharged after serving 10 years as a 31B- Military Police! And was awarded the following; Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal x2, Army Good Conduct Medal x3, National Defense Service Medal x2, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Non Commissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon(Only 1 so he was never eligible for SSG(E6) much less SFC(E7), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon x2, Expert Badge w/Auto Rifle Bar and Pistol Bar, Driver and Mechanic Badge with Driver-W Bar and the NATO Medal. And he never served in Iraq or Afghanistan, so he is not authorized a Combat Patch, much less a USASOC Patch! He did serve overseas in Bosnia and Kosovo. I wonder why he did not go ahead and throw a Combat Infantryman’s Badge on? Here is another picture of our Super Trooper with the Halo Badge.

HIS ACTUAL RECORDS

After the Army:

Well after Mr. Buono was Honorably Discharged from the Army, he landed a Job with the Columbus County Sheriff’s Department in 2003 as a dog handler. It didn’t last long, in March of 2006 he got intoxicated one evening while off-duty and drove his westbound Ford F-350 off the road and slammed into a metal pole. The truck then hit a vehicle in a car lot, causing a chain reaction of crashes involving seven vehicles, the wreck caused about $75,000 in property damage.

Police say the deputy left the scene before other deputies responded. He was found at a residence on Gordon Highway and taken to the Columbia County Detention Center, where he was released on bonds totaling $3,300. He was charged with hit and run, driving under the influence and driving too fast for conditions, needless to say he was fired. You can see the Police Blotter here Buono DUI

After this he landed a job with the Georgia Youth Challenge Academy, and was working there until recently. When we contacted the Academy for a comment, they informed us he was no longer employed, but would not elaborate.

I still can not believe he had the nerve to show up at Fort Benning in his Super Trooper outfit, wait maybe I can, these posers and embellisher’s just keep getting braver. But now since he has been outed, and the Ranger and SF community are aware, I hope he does not have the balls to try that again.

Here is a snap shot of the comments on one of his Facebook Profile Pictures:

And another:

UPDATE 1:

MR. Buono may have seen the error of his ways, as he showed up on our Facebook page Stolen Valor and apologized. I asked him to email us, which he did. I then asked him to email us an official apology and we would post it to the page. He has not responded yet, but as soon as he does we will post it. Here is a snapshot of the apology left on our Facebook page.

UPDATE 20131215

Doug contacted us tonight via our inbox on Facebook and wanted us to share this with everyone.

Doug, I personally want to thank you, as you are the first out of all of our cases to have come forward and admitted you were wrong and apologized.

Get our limited edition BRRRT ON Hoodie from Grunt Style, each sale brings $5.00 back to help support our mission. BRRRT ON HOODIE

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I know everybody wants to be a super-Bad Ass and imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, but this type of flattery needs to stop!! It makes the rest of us who have earned the right to wear our toys and trinkets really ticked off.

there is NO WAY I want to wear all that gear. It’ll pull me over! Halo jumps, Jump Master…NO THNX! I have bad enough knees as it is now! I truely respect yall who earn the right to wear all that garb. I’ll fight right next to you all day long. I’ll learn really quick who is SF and who isnt. It’s pretty simple to tell once the fight gets going. SF turns into badass highly trained and motivated individuals, and this sucker punk will just ball up and crap his pants. From one Soldier to a badass, I salute you who EARN the right to actually wear it.

This guy was my roommate in Korea. This guy had a decent career as far as MPs go. Why he went to this extent to embellish we will probably never know. A buddy and I couldn’t stand what this guy did so we went to Fakewarriors. In the mean time we were able to obtain his “real” 214 which obviously showed he was full of shit.

I’d be curious to see the emails from the guys at Benning who thought Doug was suspicious.

I logged into my official army account and guess who’s name was found in the army directory as a civilian contractor for a different agency than you posted on here. I bet that’s how he’s getting on post. Pm

Decent isn’t SPECTACULAR, it’s just good or average or decent. These guys and gals need to be somebody special but just don’t have the discipline or follow through to do what it takes to really be special. They may not be crazy but they are mentally ill and should be given treatment along with this public exposure. Believe me they are living a lie in all areas of life and families and loved ones are being hurt by it.

I think the biggest kick in the sack here is the fact that there are guys out there that paid a much higher price than most will ever know to protect the freedoms these dirt-bags have for mocking our Service Members.

It really sickens me! Even down range there were folks that pulled this kind of crap and we ran them out!

As a Vet (26yrs) I truly am proud of the work you folks have done in pointing out these ‘spot-light’ Hero(s).

Its sad when someone feels like they have lie about there accomplishments while in the military…. Just do your part and the honor will come… And on the angry side this cat needs to be put on his azz… I have a cousin that has served for 18 yrs and earned his E7(p) and this fool just pit on the rank he needs to slap his self….
SPC Lucas, Rey L. Fort Bliss TX..

I can say my Beret was earned “NOT ISSUED”. I can also say The Sand Overseas is HOTT. This group is doing a Great Service to the Former and Present “Soldiers” of this Country we call home…… thank you all. If your ever around Cumming, Georgia look me up i will have the Beer on ice waiting.

Look…her mistakes don’t take away from the man (the purpose of this page) we’re reading so chill out and back off. Put her up on another page if you want to attack her. On another note, I know Doug AND Andrea. He lived in the apartment right below me when I was stationed at Ft. Gordon. We used to sit on the patio and drink beer and talk about our days downrange. I’ve heard every story he has to tell. In spite of all this, I have to say that I still the like the guy. What he did is pretty piss-poor but he’s a good dude and he only used his fake experience to reinforce and justify decent values. If you give a young kid advice about the military without ever serving then you’re kind of pissing in the wind…regardless of whether you’re right or not. BUT, if you say you were a “G.I. Joe” then your statements would be taken to heart. Doug’s a good guy and I hope he’s doing well. You too Andrea!

What a tool!! I spent four years active as an MP and eight in a FA NG unit. Didn’t earn much more than an AAM and an ARCOM since I was flagged for weight a lot of the time I was in. I would’ve loved to have had the chance to attend some of the schools he did! I’ll be honest, it pissed me off to no end when I was ETSing and I saw pregnant E2s sporting a combat patch PCSing in to where I was leaving. Oh well, it didn’t work out that our uncle wanted me anywhere but where I was. Se la vi. But to walk around sporting things I didn’t earn never has crossed my mind since that is a poser scum bag thing to do. What’s worse is he has brought discredit to the MP corps.

mmmmmm well the man served…. ! Some who have served will have gaps in their records as they may have had to undego various other training which will not show up on records ! Either way the man served so thus not an imposter lurking around, also as an mp, most likely would have contact with many of the different forces and thus may be proud to have served with them in whatever capacity he may have.. ! I fail to see where he has brought discredit or is being an imposter as so many are saying ! Why not have a look at doctors and the politicans and do something about them instead,
of hounding a witch hunt against an acknowledged vet whom has served his county !

Jeremiah, I really hope this was a joke??? Do you not see the issue with wearing medals and tabs you never earned or rated? And just because you are friends with someone does not give you the right to wear what they earned. I wouldn’t wear the Medal Of Honor because my friend earned it!

Seriously? You don’t see how he has brought discredit or is being an imposter? Let me put it to you like this. Say you do a job, a very unique job, lets just say you have a unique set of skills. You trained hard to learn those skills, broke your back, beat yourself up and then went over to use those skills to destroy the enemy. You did all that work, and earned your right to be known as the best. Then after all this some guy, some douche bag is standing next to you in a chow line wearing the exact same thing but he bought all his at a PX and never did what it takes to earn it. Would you stand idly by and be okay with that? If the answer is yes, you obviously care nothing about your job or people taking accountability of their own actions. Which in turn makes you no better than the politicians you just pointed out. I agree politicians should be looked at and if you feel so strongly about having them looked at start a website and I will gladly follow it. This is a site dedicated to exposing these assholes and I for one can care less what he did before in his military career, its what he’s doing now that pisses me off. I’m not all hooah I’ve been in the Infantry for 16 years and don’t have a ton of these schools however my brothers in arms have been through them and have earned them. They reserve the right to have that honor protected and I for one am grateful for the people on this site that do this. This man deserves no honor.

Some people have very large ego’s.. He got a JCM, I had one sent to me 10 years after I retired…To add all those service schools and think he could get a way with it, especially at Benning is insane…He is a man who is a pure idiot and should have been exposed…imo

What I don’t see is how he could have served ten years with two overseas ribbons and only received x2 AAM’s? Two, and no other awards except the give me awards. So was he just stationed overs seas twice for five years at a time? Normally when you PCS you get an AAM no matter how crappy a soldier you are.

You’re kidding right? This guy was discharged as an E-5 Sargent not an E-7 Sargent First Class so right there proves that he is an impostor, not to mention the multiple badges that and tabs that he did not earn. It’s like you getting a promotion or raise for sitting on your ass and doing nothing but eating doughnuts and drinking coffee as every one works there ass’s off and you take all the credit. You tell me how you would feel if that happened to you, cause it pisses me off to see this kind of stuff when I have to fight for promotions let alone just to go to the board. I also know there’s a lot of guys and gals that i work with all of witch are MP’s all of witch have done their time deployed and have earned the right to where the badges that they wear that would love kick his sorry ass for what he’s doing. I would love to be able to wear a SF or Ranger tab but will never be able to do to a knee injury, but i don’t go around wearing them and pretending to be what I’m not. So why don’t you go and have a look at the doctors and politicians instead of trying to defend someone who clearly has disregard or respect for his fellow Soldiers that actually went through the schools and earned the right to wear the rank and badges they proudly do.

Oh and and one more thing, don’t bother replying to this cause i could give two s***ts about what you have to say if you truly do believe that this man has done no wrong by his actions. And Bulldog1 keep doing what you best.

Do you seriously not understand what is wrong here, Jeremiah? I had two sons in the service at the same time and lost one of them in Iraq in 2007. He earned his SGT stripes and didn’t even know it…..they awarded them pothumously…..but he worked damned hard for them. My CAO bought me a Silver Star because he thought John should have received that instead of the Bronze Star but I would never ever display that award because he didn’t earn it!

Are you getting it now? Men and women have died for this and for people like this idiot to just wear them without earning them is a effing slap in the face to all of the families that have had to bury their loved one.

Dude. what this guy did is like those doctors you mentioned pretending to be brain surgeons when in fact they are family practitioners. A doc that did this would be sued for millions and then sent to prison for the better part of his life and to cap it all off he would lose his medical license. This is the same with the exception that the man cannot be imprisoned for his fraud. As for what you said about serving with other units, I was a Forward Observer in the Army for 7 years. For the first half of my career I was assigned to one battalion and attached to another. i was not permitted to wear the emblems of that second unit until the FO platoon was reassigned to it. My first tour in Iraq my unit was under Marine command at Fallujah in 04-05. It wasn’t until just before my second deployment to Iraq that it was decided by the Big Army to allow my unit to wear 1st and 2nd MarDiv patches. We still weren’t allowed to until they cut us orders for them. Being attached to another unit or working with them doesn’t give you automatic permission to wear their patches. It definitely doesn’t give permission to wear badges that you never earned or ribbons that weren’t earned. With douches like this guy, you would have thought that he understood the honor and sacrifice that went into earning those things that he stole. I guess not. i went through hell in Ranger Indoc. but never made it to the Regiment. This does not qualify me as a Ranger. Making it to the Regiment would have. I served in an Infantry capacity in Iraq my second tour, but am not Infantry and therefore could not wear the CIB, cord or disks. It is a matter of Honor and integrity, having to the personal courage to admit that you could not be all you wanted to be, but were what you were to the absolute best of your ability, despite what you think that people will think of as cool. Most people will think the fact that someone served honorably to be awesome and super badass without all the rest of it. Be you and proud of being you and the rest of it doesn’t matter.

I just want to stab these fuckstick posers in the jugular. What makes me sick is how “brave” they get with even going to military posts to wander around posing and getting some kind of hard-on from pretending to have done something that REAL Soldiers do on a daily basis. He may have been an honorable Soldier one day, but now he is nothing but a piece of shit.

Jeremiah, you are a tool!!! Grown folks are having a discussion here. If you don’t think that better men and women have shed blood defending this assbag’s right to walk around, YES DISGRACING THE UNIFORM, then you too sir are an Assbag. And I’ll tell you what is even more discouraging is that the woman who was being lied to by this guy, still has his pictures up on her Facebook.

Is this dude Jeremiah really Doug? I can’t see the logic in his bs argument. Doug is and has been faking the funk. Yes he served and honorably. It’s what he has done after that honorable service that isn’t honorable. Go ask your mom if it’s bed time yet.

As a female Military Police Officer @ Ft. Bragg, it was an honor to serve my country, train in Airborne & Air Assault missions & deploy twice. It makes me sick to think of how he has s**t on the hard work & accomplishments of so many people that I served with. No disrespect to any other MOS, because without all working together we fall, but Military Police are supposed to be held to a higher standard. Imagine being pulled over by SGT Soup sandwich or interrogated by SGT Fibber pants for something you’re not guilty of doing. The Provost has to trust in those charged with keeping law & order. How’s that going to work if the “cop” is dirty or lacks integrity? Or, even if their duty is to man a gate on post, that’s who’s supposed to be the first & finest impression of all those who’re stationed there!!! We may not be the most bad ass ones in the military, but we’re damned sure supposed to set GOOD examples of EXCELLENT soldiers. Thanks to this a-hole, all MP’s, past & present, were just slapped in the face by his lies. It only takes one bad apple…to get his ass kicked by the rest of us! ABN~ATW!!!

This guy obviously has such a narcissistic personality disorder….not to mention being pathetic. Also, this makes one wonder how he obtained jobs, especially with the Georgia Youth Challenge Academy. Do these people not do background investigations on whom they hire to work with “Young Teens”? Considering this man worked directly as a Cadre with the Students…ummm??? Someone let the ball drop on this guy!

I’m a veteran of a unit under USASOC and 10th SFG, and can tell you that guys that really earn all these badges rarely ever wear all of them. They’ll wear their SF, Ranger, and Airborne tabs, and usually forgo wearing the rest of the badges. If I saw somebody wearing all these badges first thing I would ask them (if they’re legit) is what event did they go to, or who were they trying to impress 😉

You see this is the shit I don’t understand. Why not be proud of what he has/had i.e. Joint Service Achievement Medal, Army Achievement Medal x2, Army Good Conduct Medal x3, National Defense Service Medal x2, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Non Commissioned Officers Professional Development Ribbon(Only 1 so he was never eligible for SSG(E6) much less SFC(E7), Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service Ribbon x2, Expert Badge w/Auto Rifle Bar and Pistol Bar, Driver and Mechanic Badge with Driver-W Bar and the NATO Medal? I don’t have much like I wanted, SF and Ranger, and the top is a Purple Heart but I love my medals and I’m damn proud of them! LDRSHIP, is all it boils down to! Shout out to my 13fox brothers!

I was approached by a man who saw me in my Purple Heart hat, and he first had to ASK ME if I had earned the PH. I was fucking shocked and embarrassed that he even had to do that. After telling him “of course I did”, he hugged me. Thanks to tool-fucking-bags like this asshole, I will FOREVER have to fucking EXPLAIN myself! Just a few years ago–I didn’t have to explain a DAMN THING! FML.

I run into the same problem, but on the “other end” as a Veteran Service Officer.

Some days I hear an awesome war story and then on the drive home the sarcastic, “once bitten, twice shy” part of me starts to replay the days events and doubt creeps in, or no apparent reason other than there are dirtbags out there that do steal valor for their 15 minutes of fame.

I love seeing this stuff. I appreciate you guys taking the time and energy to expose these “douchenozzles” and preserve the dignity of those of us who actually lived the suck and earned the right to be proud.

I’ve started to notice that a lot of these “super troopers” legitimately served in the military at one point in time. What the hell? The fact that you served in the military isn’t enough for you. Me, I’m active duty Army, I’ve been in 19 months and getting out in 2014 with a NDSM, Army Service Ribbon, NO BADGES, NO TABS, NO DEPLOYMENT PATCH, and a bunch of old ACU’s. I’m going to tell the truth of my service: yup I was infantry, non-airborne, non-air assault, non-ranger and 6 months out from our deployment date, we got told our deployment is all a hoax and we’re going to sit in the rear back in the good old US of A as a Brigade QRF. If people think that service story is boring and mediocre, well at least I can be one of the .45% of the American population (yes that is a point in front) to serve during the age of the War on Terror. No lies and stolen valor here.

Any soldier that see this will feel a burning pain in the pit of their soul. because they know what it takes to earn and live that life. i served 21 yrs two tours in the sand. When My commander was killed in a airborne training exercise. He was to put on my combat badge but when he died i didnt want it. Did i earn it yes but i would give it, my bronze star and every other medal i have back just to hear his voice again. when ask did i still want it i said only if you can have my commander and friend place it on my chest. what this guy dont understand is that those that do it, dont need to prove it to no one but themselves.

How are you going to comment on ANYBODY being a Patholoical Liar when yo wrote the book on it. You just recently got out of jail for being a Habitual Offender for Shoplifting in the CSRA. You should NEVER talk or comment on anybody else character or mishaps when you have a long history of Crime. Speaking of family you don’t have the right to even bring that up cause it is not of value in your life. You tried to hinder my family but you failed!!!!!! So with that being said you need to stay hidden under the rock like the previous person said cause you are worthless!!!!!!!!!!

Has anyone thought about getting people like Bono some counselling. People deal with their shortcomings differently. If you are not a part of the solution then you are a part of the problem. What are were doing to help our veterans who turn to such measures in desperation? What are we doing as fellow veterans to help them cope with lifestyle pitfalls instead of nailing them to the cross?

since you probably would not prosecute why did you conduct a witch hunt? Yes, what he did was very wrong and shameful, however, you and your organization not only have exposed him, but your actions have costed this man his livelihood. Now what? A couple things could result from this. I hope you are aware that this man’s blood is now on your hands. He has no job, soon will be homeless, then what? Like you said he did not profit from this. He that is without out sin cast the stone.

A witch hunt? This is far from a witch hunt, they are stealing the Valor and Honor for those that earned it. I assume you also support Westboro Baptist Church and what they do, I mean they are taking the Honor of our Fallen by protesting at funerals. That is not a witch hunt, as this is not.

Just a thought Bulldog1. Let me first say that I agree 100% with what you’re doing here, but, when a name does get listed on your site, it ends up being the very first search result that someone finds. In reality, it will destroy their social and professional lives. Now I don’t agree at all with what these people are doing, especially the posers. But Vets like this, they must be doing it out of some sense of inadequacy, some insecurity. Does that excuse their actions? No. But if they come to you and submit a formal apology, out in the open, you might consider taking down their entry on the site, and just monitor the net to make sure they are behaving themselves. The straight up I posters, fuck em, but the embellishers, as shitty as they are, if they can come to you as a man and apologize, I thing you can give them a little room here. Just google his name – that’s what his kids, his family, prospective spouse, prospective employers will see for the remainder of his life. Just seems like too much.

guardian angel may have used the wrong choice of words (witch hunt) but that is a legitimate concern. If those guilty of such acts will not be prosecuted, yes they are exposed, with your help they lose their jobs etc. and then what? Our judicial system is set up to where the punishment should fit the crime, if we don’t prosecute, we expose, then we take away their livelihood is that ok?? Everyone would agree that this is a shameful act but I don’t think most agree on contacting their jobs resulting in their losing their jobs especially if they have not profit from these acts. Times are already hard, some of these people have families to support especially children, I find it very hard to take food out of someone’s mouth. If you are going to do all this damage why not prosecute then?

Because at this point, we can not prosecute. Some are being prosecuted, take example the one from Florida. Im afraid you are not understanding the effect this type of behavior has on the community, and the Veterans and Soldiers who have earned the right to claim such awards and accolades. Would you want someone who was lying to gain something teaching your children? I most certainly would not want that. If he did gain something from his lies, then yes it would be illegal and he would be thrown in jail. Most people protect these people because they do not understand Stolen Valor and what it actually means. Their are a ton of websites devoted to this, so if it was not an issue, why would their be?

Point taken. I too am a veteran and I do understand. Just so sad…..I just feel sorry for the children, they are not responsible you know. But…..Yes it is important that they are exposed…I guess it would be correct to say that when they choose to do such that they choose the ramifications also.

I had an experience similar to Craig’s while attending a golf tournament. I was wearing an Army vet cap and was approached by a guy who asked what a 214 was. Assuming the guy didn’t know, I told him it was a service record issued at discharge.

He said; “Correct, you’d be surprised at how many people walk around with such gear and are phonies.”

I had to laugh, but on second thought, what’s up with this vigilante taking it on himself to question my bonafides?

Just a minor correction: a 214 is a record of active duty service. (the service may have to me more than 30 days…I’d have to verify that) I have 2 DD214s with no break in service (Quite possibly I should have 2 more).

If you have mulitiple DD214’s and you had no break in Service, they run in chronological order from your first enlistment and then you were technically “discharged” to re-enlist again. It was more common to have these 30+ years ago than it is now.

It’s almost worse when someone actually WAS in and STILL feels a need to make things up. Why is someones career not enough that you have to embellish it? It makes no sense to me. Just by being in and being an NCO, it puts us in a very small group of Americans. That should be enough. He’s got a decent stack of awards.. for god sake, let that be enough.

As for this page and other pages of this ilk affecting poser’s ability to hold a job. Are you serious? This page is a public service! Would you want a pathological liar working as a Police Officer or Youth Counselor in your community? I wouldn’t trust him in any job that requires any integrity whatsoever.

His actual record is actually pretty good. Despite his post military issues, he could have gotten repect just by saying he is an Army veteran of ten years and former MP and NCO. While not combat, the Bosnia tour qualifies for VFW membership.

In the beginning…this would have upset me but now…after seeing how many people do this, I wonder??? These people must be really sick, mentally. They want to be something to be proud of and in many cases some have served and done there duty. Yet, it isn’t enough…the find it hard to give up the lies when they start posing as a veteran. I really think these people need help, they are sick.

Taking such a huge dump all over the MP Corps like that, eh? He should be ashamed that he makes ME feel ashamed to have once been one. Kosovo and Bosnia are both respectable, i’m not sure why he could not stop there.

Its a shame that these acts are now protected under the First Amendment. Prior service members should know better, regardless.

Why the heck do people feel the need to lie about their service? Sure his service was no special forces secret ninja squirrel shit but I mean come on it wasn’t horrible either — he served in the capacity he originally had set out on and he should be proud of his own experience.

I was a cadet under Sgt buono. I looked up to him for almost six months. He told me to go for my dreams which is infantry airborne and special forces. He used to tell us he was a sniper (probably not true) that his mos was 18B (see in the paperwork above is not true. I looked up to this guy and to see this shit really pisses me off. At the time of my class he had sixty cadets who looked up to him. I will say he was a good Sgt but to impersonate a ranger and special forces personnel to make you look like a badass is the lowest of the low. If you wanted to be a badass you should do it like the many before you and feel the pride in earning those tabs. Because of this it made me want to stop chasing my dream of being sf because I didn’t want to look like this douchebag but then I remembered, he is not SF. When I get my tab I will find you and show you the true pride in being SF.

His message is credible. He is not. Don’t use him as an inspiration, but as a motivator. I learned just as much from the bad leaders as I did with the great leaders during my time. From the bad, you learn to do and say the exact opposite. From the great, you try to emulate. Drive on and git’er done cadet.

I was a Cadet at Fort Gordon Youth Challenge with Sgt. Buono. I actually found this page because he was our favorite Sgt and I wanted to see what he was up to. Gotta say, didn’t expect this. I will say this though, he’s actually a good guy at heart. He may have messed things up pretty bad, but he did honestly care about us. When I came to him to talk about enlisting, he approached the matter in what I felt was the most appropriate fashion, ensuring that it was really what I wanted to do.

Most of the guys that I knew who were super high-speed badasses, never felt the need to wear all their badges and tabs. My First Sergeant in Korea spent a lot of years in the Regiment never wore anything. i never knew how much of a badass he was until I saw him in his A’s at a predeployment function with all the ribbons he was authorized and the badges that he could wear. Douches like this jackass are the reason so many of the ones authorized the gear never wear it. PX Rangers that have never earned the right to the crap that they have stolen from others. A lot of the guys in my unit had that kind of background and never wore any of it because of them. In 2005, We had one Currahee in Korea that we sent to the brig for a long time and then dishonorably discharged for wearing stuff he had never earned.

I was stationed with this gut in 96-97 at Ft. Gordon he was a douche bag then and evidently still is. We were MPs and he always came up with stories of people running from him or something dramatic. He was a want to be cop.

Here is one more phony for the records, last year CalCoast News a anti-gov gossip, online blog pretends to be a news site both people who started this are fired reporters. They again got caught promoting and soliciting monies for fake veterans. One being Randal Reed ” A homeless Combat” Highly decorated Navy Seal, earned the Navy Cross, Purple Heart etc.. so send us money all is fake and phony. Reed is one more imposter using this phony site to promote their scams. On 7-3-12 the real newspaper Tribune Paper uncovered the scam, in a story called Stolen Valor Slap in Face exposed this fraud. FYI you might want to make this known so many are being scammed by both Reed and this fake blog site.

@Rico I am one of the kids that was under him at youth challenge 17 when I met him. Him parading around like this is shit. Service in any branch is honorable in my opinion doesn’t matter what you did or didn’t do. I’m enlisted as an 89 bravo ammunition specialists and I’m very happy. If I make everything I try for I’ll be happy if not I’m not going to say I did for recognition. This is very piss poor and I know others under his command who lost all respect for him when they saw this. And Sgt buono if your reading this I’m sure you saw it at some point it’s Calvert class 11-03 and you fucked up doing this. You will never be treated with the same respect again.

So if you aren’t a soldier, what would you need to do to be able to wear those fabulous sashes and medallions and whatnot? I want some tag doohickeys and maybe some stripes too…really anything to add flare to those boring jackets. There’s like these bars with all these little charms in them too, what are those called? I don’t want to steal valor, you best believe I earn my outfits.

I hope you guys know not everyone does this. My good friend John Crissmon, was SF and Halo. He was in the SF reserve group in So Calif, and while jumping on an off weekend, he burns in and breaks his femur. No more Army for John. Since it was a civilian jump at Perris, CA, and he was a full time student,and did not have any insurance, he got the basic of care, and is an inch shorter on one leg.
We have jumped a few times together since ( I bought the chute he burned in on). But my point is, I never ever once heard him lie or anything to anyone about his service. His dad was a Full Bird SF in Nam, and John was following in his dad’s steps. He got out as an E-6 or maybe a 7. He like me was a 12B, but he went Airborne, and I was a leg with 7th INF Div Light. Fort Ord. 85-87
Just want you to know there are some honorable vets out there, and John is one.
I wanted to be Ranger, but didn’t have what it takes, and I ain’t gonna wear some fake tab.

Just a note from a Navy “spook” who rode two SSN’s against the old Soviet Union. Did my duty without fanfare, had some things left off my DD214 (never cared to get them fixed), and I want to thank each of you for your service and for uncovering these pieces of shit. If you served, you did enough. That’s my take.

Why is it that everyone one or ok to sound resilient, a majority of them fake being SF, Ranger, or even Infantry? Just like almost all Vietnam vets I met claim to be Infantry?! Come on now people, other than this site there are other ways to find out your fake but I wont give you those secrets.
I commend you for “Blasting” these fools for what they are but a good ole ass whooping and pictures to follow of them falling down the stairs are always nice. For those who know people like this, just be happy that the alternative has not found you and for those who have met the 2 COA well maybe you should share your story to if you have a energy to write.
Thanks for putting faces to losers, well ok lower then losers, posers!

The nerve of some people. Just wearing the Drill Sergeant Badge alone would make me and the rest of my Battles want to have a long talk with this sorry individual. Like the rest of our brethren, we earned our Pumpkin Patch. He is really lucky he wasn’t approached by a Drill Sgt.

I was a lost under Sgt Buono, i was a cadet at the ft gordon YCA, i as well as others is amazed by this… he was like others said our favorite cadre, he took great care of us young men at the academy, took us under his wing, made us strive for good grades… fought us how to press our uniforms, shine our boots! he even paid for my retest when i failed my first writing test. I’m completely astonished that he embellished himself like he did. He encouraged me to join, and i did 3 years ago, I’m currently overseas (non-combat) nothing cool… but just disappointing to have some one you looked up to, be a total fake!

As a 22 year vet (1972-1994, Active+Guard+Reserve) I start out being a little upset at these people. Then I look above my collection of do-dads and look at my Fathers from WW 2, 2 PH and a Bronze Star, that’s when I really get PO’d. Through the first 8 years of my service he wouldn’t talk about his time in the war.. It wasn’t unitl I became an 01 that he ever said much. Keep going after these fools, I realy don’t care anymore what happens to them after they are found out.

If you earned it, wear it proudly,if you didn’t, remember karma can be a bitch

I for one would like to know how he got on base and he is not active duty any more, because they take away you ID when you get out of the military in less your retire. I know every time I go visit my son on his Navy base he has to get me in, because I am no longer active duty and I am not retired military